Chapter 2: Memories of the Ranch
Chapter 2: Memories of the Ranch
Although Naoki had a rough idea about the effects of his cheat ability, there were some practical reasons that prevented him from testing it out. Firstly, he didn't have any Pokemon with him. Secondly, the original owner of this body, Naoki, was extremely poor.
It was 3 a.m. in the morning, and Naoki, having barely filled his stomach, began to contemplate his current situation.
To him, being transported to this world was certainly exciting, but no matter the world, the first priority was always to ensure he had enough to eat.
Naoki cleaned the dishes and then sat at the desk, sorting through the belongings of the previous owner.
As a drifter, the original owner's backpack contained very few items. Aside from a few changes of clothes, there were only three packs of instant noodles and a pile of loose coins and bills.
Naoki counted the money, which amounted to about 2,300. This was barely enough to sustain him for a month, let alone fund any travels.
After mentally calculating the currency conversion rate for this world, Naoki couldn't help but sigh in despair.
Ah, life was tough...
But then he thought of the adorable and powerful Pokemon from the anime, and his spirits lifted once more.
"One step at a time," he told himself.
Perhaps it was due to the long period of restlessness before his transmigration, or maybe it was because this body was overly exhausted, but after filling his stomach, Naoki felt an overwhelming wave of drowsiness wash over him.
Without resisting, he welcomed the idea of finally getting a good night's sleep. He didn't have to worry about being late for work tomorrow, nor did he have to worry about scrimping and saving to pay the mortgage. Tomorrow would be a brand new day.
Turning off the lights, Naoki lay down on the wooden bed and soon drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, he was awakened by a persistent knocking on the door.
Naoki bolted upright, his eyes snapping open as he took in his surroundings, suddenly remembering that he had crossed over to a new world.
Relieved that it wasn't just a dream, he got out of bed, his heart filled with questions as the knocking continued.
His hair a mess, Naoki opened the door to find an elderly man standing there. The man wore a brown vest, and his slightly plump figure was complemented by a black gentleman's hat on his head.
The man appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, and upon seeing Naoki, a warm and kind smile spread across his face.
Beside the elderly man stood a creature that resembled a lizard, standing upright on its two feet.
The creature's body was a shiny, sleek green, with a tire-like structure around its neck and a sturdy, thick tail that ended in a translucent white tip. It curiously gazed at Naoki with large eyes.
Naoki was instantly captivated by the creature, immediately recognizing it as a Pokemon—a Lizardon.
And the man before him was none other than the mayor of Akebi Town.
"I heard you plan to stay and take care of this ranch," the mayor said. "I thought you might not be familiar with ranch work, and cleaning it all by yourself would be tiring, so I brought this little one over."
Naoki was slightly taken aback but quickly recalled a memory from the previous owner's mind.
Yesterday morning, when the original owner had returned to the ranch, he had coincidentally run into the old mayor. After a brief chat, the mayor had said,
"This ranch was left to you by your grandfather. I knew you would come back one day, so I would come by from time to time to help with the cleaning. Although it has been abandoned for many years, the house is still livable. You can stay here without any worries!"
The original owner had politely expressed his gratitude.
A smile appeared on the old mayor's face as he continued, "When I was younger, I was friends with your grandfather. I even held you in my arms when you were a baby! Your grandfather asked me to take care of this ranch and make sure it was returned to you. I intend to fulfill that promise."
"I guess the old mayor thought I came back to take care of the ranch," Naoki mused.
With this realization, Naoki understood the current situation, but he still had questions about the Lizardon.
Looking at the tall and skinny young man before him, the old mayor felt a pang of sympathy and sadness.
What a poor child, he thought. Having lost all his family, he was now all alone in this world.
After seeing the state of the ranch yesterday, the old mayor had returned home and brought one of his Lizardon's children with him.
Firstly, he wanted the Lizardon to stay with Naoki so they could keep each other company, and secondly, the Lizardon could also help him with the ranch work.
Sighing inwardly, the old mayor gently asked, "Will you take care of it?"
Naoki was speechless.
As an adult, he immediately understood the mayor's intention.
Motostoke, a Dragon-type Pokemon commonly found in the Paldea region, had lived alongside humans in households since ancient times.
Known for their gentle temperament and their tendency to seek warmth due to their aversion to cold, they would allow humans to ride on their backs, using their body heat to warm themselves.
As a result, in the unique Paldea region, Motostoke also served as a means of transportation.
Naoki couldn't think of a reason to refuse, as he also wanted a Pokemon of his own.
It seemed unlikely that he would receive a starter Pokemon from the local Professor and embark on a journey like Ash did in the anime.
He didn't have any Poke Balls, nor could he realistically venture into the wild to catch Pokemon with his bare hands and feet.
"Thank you, I'll take good care of it," Naoki said.
Hearing this, the elderly mayor heaved a sigh of relief and smiled, "In that case, I'll leave this little one in your care. Oh, and since it's your first day at the ranch, you're probably not familiar with the work here, right?"
Having been accustomed to the 996 work schedule in his past life, Naoki indeed found everything here rather unfamiliar.
"Yes," Naoki nodded. At that moment, he also found answers to the questions he had pondered the night before.
With nowhere else to go and only the knowledge from the Pokemon anime and games he had watched and played, staying put seemed like the best option. At least he had a roof over his head and a place to call home.
The elderly mayor smiled and said, "In that case, let me give you a tour of the ranch! But come to think of it, you left Paldea when you were ten years old and moved to Hoenn, didn't you?"
"Yes," Naoki replied.
The mayor couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion as he said, "Time flies, it's been a decade already!"
The vibrant and bustling scenes of the past were still vivid in his memory, but now, after the excitement had faded, the place was deserted and left in a state of disrepair.
The fields were overtaken by weeds and rocks, and the Pokemon house was eroded by time, leaving only a skeletal structure that vaguely hinted at its former shape.
As the two walked through the ranch, the Motostoke obediently followed behind, curiously observing the young man.
Unaware of their gaze, Naoki listened intently to the mayor's words, having decided to stay and manage the ranch.
The mayor's eyes were filled with nostalgia, and with each step, memories of the past surfaced in his mind.
"The field in front of us is the ranch's farmland. A long time ago, various crops grew here, and in the fall, the fields would be filled with all sorts of fruits."
"That building over there is the ranch owner's residence, and next to it is the delivery box where you can put the harvested crops, milk, and so on."
"There's a valley to the east of the ranch where mostly gentle, small Pokemon make their habitat. You can go there to gather mountain products and berries, and put whatever you don't need in the delivery box."
"Every day at 5 p.m., someone from town will come by to pick up the items in the box and settle the accounts. The goods collected will then be sent to the Rusted Market for sale."
"And when your ranch thrives, there will even be dedicated vehicles coming to transport your produce! They will deliver the goods produced here to all corners of the Paldea region, selling them to various people."
Naoki: "..."
What kind of ranch story is this?
Fortunately, he had played farming games before, so he quickly got a grasp of these concepts.
At that moment, Naoki noticed an abandoned building surrounded by several large trees and overgrown grass.
Intrigued, he asked, "What's that?"
The mayor glanced in that direction and sighed, "That used to be the Pokemon house. Your grandfather once imported over a dozen Miltank from the Johto region and kept them there."
A frown appeared on the mayor's face as he continued, "After he passed away, your parents sold those Miltank to others, and the Pokemon house gradually fell into disrepair."
"But don't worry, once you get the hang of things, you can go to the carpenter's shop and ask them to help expand the residence and repair the Pokemon house."
"Oh, and I've placed all the tools you'll need for the ranch in the storage room over there."
The mayor pointed to the shed behind the house and said, "There's an axe for chopping trees, a hammer for breaking rocks, a hoe for tilling the land, a spray bottle for watering, a sickle for cutting grass, and several packets of seeds suitable for spring planting. In short, this ranch is now in your hands!"
"I hope you'll take good care of it and restore it to its former glory. If that day comes, your grandfather would surely be very happy!"
Naoki fell silent for a moment, then nodded, "I'll do my best."
The mayor smiled and turned to leave. But before he had taken a few steps, he suddenly turned back. "One more thing!"
"Yes?" Naoki replied.
The mayor said, "You can keep the wood and stone you chop and break with the axe. Once you've saved up enough money, you can bring them to the carpenter's shop, and they can help you expand your house and the Pokemon house. You'll save a lot on materials that way!"
Naoki made a mental note of this.
From a distance, the mayor removed his hat and said gently, "I live in Akebi Town. If you need anything, feel free to come find me. Motostoke knows the way, so you can just ride it there directly."
"Okay," Naoki nodded.
With that, the mayor left.
It was the year 198 in the Pokemon League calendar, and spring had just arrived in the Paldea region, though the temperature was still a bit chilly.
Naoki and Motostoke stood at the door of the wooden cottage, watching as the mayor's figure gradually disappeared from view.
Only when the mayor was completely out of sight did Naoki turn back to face the gleaming Motostoke by his side.
Although he was no expert, just from Motostoke's appearance and demeanor, he could tell that this Motostoke was in excellent physical condition and had been well-bred.
Thinking about the fantastical nature of Pokemon, Naoki's curiosity got the better of him, and he asked aloud, "Motostoke?"
"Gao?" Motostoke turned to look at him.
Indeed, it knew its own name.
Naoki asked, "Can you understand what I'm saying? If you can, nod your head."
"Gao~"
As expected, Motostoke obediently nodded its head.
Just like in the anime, Pokemon could understand human language! Naoki's curiosity grew.
According to the lore, Pokemon were intelligent and emotional creatures, far surpassing ordinary animals. Some Pokemon were even said to have intelligence and emotions comparable to humans.
Staring at Motostoke's gleaming skin, Naoki reached out and gave it a pat.
Contrary to what he had imagined, it didn't feel scary like touching a real lizard. Instead, it felt more like leather, similar to the texture of a motorcycle.
Motostoke didn't seem to mind his touch at all; instead, it seemed to enjoy it, closing its eyes in contentment and appearing quite pleased.
Naoki decided to emulate Ash from the anime and said to Motostoke, "Motostoke, please take care of me from now on!"
"Gao~"
After that, Naoki wasn't sure what else to say.
He withdrew his hand, and his stomach suddenly growled.
Motostoke heard the rumble and turned its eyes to Naoki's stomach.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Naoki asked, "Have you eaten? I'm about to cook; would you like to join me?"
"Gao~"
Although Motostoke had already eaten breakfast, it was clearly delighted by the invitation from its new trainer.
It nodded its head and followed Naoki back into the cottage.
As Naoki looked at the wooden cottage, he felt a unique sensation wash over him.
He took a deep breath and thought to himself, "This is my home from now on!" In my past life, I worked the 996 shift, but in this life, I'll be a relaxed farmer.
Perhaps being a ranch owner will be tiring, but at least I'll be working for myself.
A new life is about to begin. Naoki took a deep breath and glanced at Motostoke by his side.
As if reading his thoughts, just the night before, Naoki had been pondering the lack of a Pokemon to test his unique ability on, and now, here he was with Motostoke.
It's decided, then!
Naoki heated up a pot of water, preparing to cook a clear soup noodle dish to see if it would have any effect on Motostoke, just like in the games, where food could grant Pokemon various boosts and benefits.
A new story begins with a new protagonist; please support me!
(End of Chapter)
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